Railway switch track safety device



March 26, 1940. P, P, JARGICK l T 2,195,110

RAILWAY SWITCH TRACK SAFETY DEVICE March 296, 1940. vF. P. JARGlcK 2,195,110

RAILWAY SWITCH TRACK SAFETY DEVICE `Filed April 25. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITEDy s.'1.l\. 1fits` PATENT vOFI-ICE 1 52,195,110 p vRAILWAY SWITCHTRACK SAFETY DEVICE Peter Paul Jargick, West Chicagmlll. I y Application April 25,1939, serial No. 269,934

1 Claim.

This invention relates to railway track safety I5. The vconnecting rod I3 extends from switch devices `adapted for connection to conventional switch connecting rods and to cooperate with switch points for `the purpose of preventing displacement of -said points in' the event of breakage of the conventional switch yrods by which said switch points are moved to `and from the main rails. f

At present, switch operating mechanism comprises a connecting rod .which extends from the vmanual or automatic switch operating means to a point near one side of the track where it is connected by a bolt to a flat switch rod known as theNo. v1 switch head rod. The switch rod extends un-der the main rail and split rail or switch point, and said rod is connected to the switch point by means of a clip, one arm of which is bolted to the Switchpoint and the other arm of whichl is bolted to the fiat switch rod. i Most frequently breakage occurs in the switch rodat the point where the rod is connected to the clip on the switch point which is then intended to be retained closely adjacent a main rail. Without the safetyv device of my invention, such breakage results in derailment of trains.

The safety deviceof my invention, installed as hereinafter described, moves with the connecting rod, switch. rod and switch point when said parts are being actuated, but if breakage of the switch head rod occurs so that said rod and the switch point connecting clip become disengaged, my safety vdevice retains its engagement vwith the switch point and holds it rmly against the rail.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a section of track and switch in which is installed a safety device embodyingmy invention. 1

Fig.;2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, in the planeof the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, on the same scale as Fig. 2, taken in the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig.` 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, showing my safety device in modied form.

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views, on an enlarged scale,in the planes of the lines 5--5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 'l-'I of Fig. 6.

A conventional railway track and switch construction comprises main rails I0, I0', split rails commonly called switch points II, II', ties I2,

connecting rod I 3, switch rod I4, and clips I5,

operating means (not shown) to apoint near one side ofthe'track `where it is connected to the switch rod I4. In the present embodiment, the

lconnecting rod I3 has an apertured bifurcated end I6 which is connected to the apertured end of the switch rod I4 by a horizontally disposed bolt rI'I. twistedat I8 so that its horizontally'disposed p'orL tion extends under-'the rails` IU, ID' and switch The switchr rod I4 is a flat metal rod,l

points II, II', and is `connected to the switch points by means of theA clips I5, I5.

- Each `clip I5 (best shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6) comprises a vertically disposed arm I9, inclined web 20, and twov ,horizontally` disposed aperturedl arms 2I, the latterbeingconnected at one side of the clip by a U-shaped portion 22. The vertical arm I9 is boltedwto the switch point IIy by bolts 23with the web2!) bearing on they base of the switch point, andthe horizontal arms 2I are'bolted by bolt 24 andnut 24 to the flat switch rod I4 which extends through the clip between the larms 2I. The bolt 24 may extend through any of the registering apertures 2l' in said arms 2 I.

In conventional track installations such as de? scribed, the switch rod I4 is called the switch head rod No. 1, and one or more additional switch rods such as the rod 25 maybe provided and be connected by clips 26 to the switch points II and II', as shown in Fig. 1. The clips 26 are similar to the clips I5and I5.

It is important to safety that the switch points be maintained normally in their intended posi tions relatively to the rails I0. lIn an installation such as shown in Fig. 1, for example, breakage of the switch rod I4 most frequently occurs vice comprises a separate clip 30, consisting `of a vertical arm 3|, inclined kweb portion 32 and base block 33 horizontally bored as indicated at 34. The base block 33 extends downwardly to a horizontal plane sufficiently below the bottom of the rail I0 and switch point II to receive in the bore 34 an eye bolt rod 35. The rod 35 is screw threaded at 3B to receive the nut 3l and Aat its 55 other end terminates in an apertured flat portion 38 wherebyit is connected to the connecting rod I3 by the same bolt II which connects the connecting rod I3 and switch rod I4. The rod 35 may be bent between its ends as vshown in Fig. 1 to accommodate it to therequirements of the particular installation. After the end 38 of the eye bolt rod 35 has been connected to the connecting rod I3, the nut 3'I may be tightened and a cotter pin 39 inserted in the vrod end.

The clip 30 bears iirmly against one side of the switch point I I and normally holds it against the rail I0, but when the switch is actuated by the movement of the connecting rod I3 and switch rod I4, the safety device parts 3U Vand 35 move with the switch point II. y

In Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, is shown a modified form of my safety device. In this installation, the ties I2 happen to be close together and there is not suflicient space to accommodate a separate clip 30 such as heretofore described. In the modified form, I utilize as .part of my safety device the clip I5 by which the rod I4 vis connected to the rail point I I. The eye bolt rod 35,A in this form, is inserted between the arms 2| of the rclip I5, adjacent to and parallelwith the switch rod I4. A special square nut 40 having lugs '4I is mounted on the end 3G of the rod 35, with `the lugs 4I inserted 'between the arms 2| of the clip I5. A nut 42 is screwed on the end of the rod 35 to hold the nut '40 and rod 35 in place. The opposite end 38 of the eye bolt rod 35 is connected to the connecting rod vI3 by the bolt I'I' vas heretofore described. The rod 35 is bent between its ends to the extent required to permit its connection to the connecting rod I3, as shown in Fig. 4.

Thus the safety devices comprising the clip 30 and rod 35 (Figs. 1,2 andY 3) or the clip I5,` nut III and rod 35 l(Figs. fi `'to 7) prevent displacement of the switch point I I from its normal position adjacent the rail I0 when breakage occurs in the switch rod I4 at its connection to the clip I5. It will beunderstood that displacement of the switch point II is also prevented by the safety devices of my invention because the switch point I I' is connected to the switch point II by the switch rod 25, and therefore both switch points II and II are held in their intended positions by the safety devices shown land described when breakage occurs in the switch rod e I4.

Changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim:

YThe combination with a pair of railway rails, a pair of switch points, a switch rod connected to both switch points and having `a vertically iiattened end extending beneath one rail and switch point outwardly thereof, a Vconnecting rod and a bolt connecting'said end vof the switch rod `to the connectingrcd, of a safety device comprising a clip having a vertical lbearing arm, an inclined web portion and a base, said clip bearing against one of the switch `points,`a safety rod extending transversely beneath the rail and switch point and through the clip base laterally of the switch rod, said safety rod being round in cross section andhaving a vvertically Vflattened end connected tothe flattened end of -the connecting rod by the aforementioned bolt which connects the switch rod and connecting rod, means adjustably mounted on the other end of said safety rod and'bearing on said clip for retaining the clip in switch point bearing position, and asecond switch rod connected to and extending from one switch point to the other laterally of vsaid first mentioned switch rod. f f

- l PETER PAUL JARGICK. 

